Calligrapher Tarek Naji demonstrates Arabic script to a trainee during a workshop in Basra’s Hartha district, August 2025. The workshop uses handmade reed pens crafted from local farms. (Photo: 964media)
Calligraphy workshops in Basra revive tradition with handmade reed pens
BASRA — From the farmlands of northern Basra, home to authentic reeds, calligrapher Tarek Naji has been turning stalks into pens for Arabic calligraphy and placing them in the hands of his trainees. His goal is to prepare a new generation of calligraphers and introduce them to the craft.
“When I reviewed educational activities, I did not find Arabic calligraphy present, nor did I notice any interest in it in schools,” Naji told 964media. “This prompted me to launch a special workshop for educational staff, with the aim of spreading and promoting the beauty of Arabic letters in different circles.”
Naji said the course is free, describing calligraphy as the creativity of historic Arab masters such as Ibn Muqla, Ibn al-Bawwab, and Yaqut al-Musta‘simi, who relied on the Ruq‘ah and Naskh scripts.
He explained that his tools come directly from local farmers. “I started by preparing my tools [thanks to] farmers in northern Basra who grow reeds and provide them to me for free. I cut, polish, and turn them into pens for Arabic calligraphy,” he said. “My reliance on the reed comes from its authenticity in the art of calligraphy, in addition to its unique quality that no modern pen can match. It helps the calligrapher to be deliberate and control letters precisely.”
Yousef Salah al-Din, director of school activities, said the initiative was welcomed by education officials. “The school activity department, in cooperation with the education department in Hartha, is holding a workshop on Arabic calligraphy led by artist Tarek the calligrapher, who took the initiative to place this heritage in an academic context,” he told 964media.
“The workshop attracted wide interest from trainees among educational staff, and we support such activities that contribute to preserving our cultural identity,” Salah al-Din said.
Participants said they have advanced from the basics of preparing pens to mastering styles. “The calligrapher Tarek started with us from the early stages, from cutting and polishing the reed, until I mastered two scripts: Ruq‘ah and Naskh,” said Mehdi Ali, a school principal and trainee.
“Now I’m training new participants in the workshop. The beauty and rules of Arabic calligraphy were unknown to us until we learned them here and mastered them. I am now able to write Quranic verses and Arabic phrases skillfully,” Ali said.
